60% of secondary schools have left the double-track system

Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education

Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, has disclosed that 60 percent of Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the country have been moved from the double-track system to single-track schools.

He said the ministry would ensure that all SHSs return to the single-track system despite increased enrollment due to the free SHS program.

The Minister said this at the launch of this year’s STEMNNOVATION competition held at the Accra Technical Training Center in Accra.

The competition is a national science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) based project competition for SHS and TVET students to create innovative projects that can solve social problems.

This year’s event would see the creation of projects in four areas, namely environmental sustainability, food sovereignty, sustainable energy and digital technologies.

Dr. Adutwum said creativity and innovation were at the top of the government’s agenda for education in the country, hence the rollout of the competition.

He said the government is committed to training students to be creators and innovators so that they can be agents to lead the country’s transformation agenda.

“We cannot remember our way out of poverty, but we can innovate our way out of poverty. This is why the government is committed to transforming our education from rote learning to one that emphasizes creativity and innovation,” he added.

The minister said the government was also transforming education infrastructure in terms of school buildings and classrooms, saying: “21st century education must take place in 21st century buildings.”

He called on industry and business organizations to work with the ministry to support the students’ STEM innovations.

This year’s STEMNNOVATION competition is the third in a row since its launch in 2022.

The first edition of the competition was won by Kumasi Academy in the Ashanti Region, while the second was won by Ahafoman Senior High School.